World No 1 Jannik Sinner is set to extend his absence from the tour to almost three months after withdrawing from the China Open due to injury.
Sinner has not played since winning his second Wimbledon title in July as he continues to recover from the knee injury that also forced him to miss the US Open
The Italian won his second China Open title last year, defeating Learner Tien in the final, and also reached the final in 2024 after winning the tournament in 2023.
“I’m very sorry to announce that I won’t be able to play in Beijing this year,” Sinner said in a video. “My knee is not where I would like it to be and I’m not ready to compete yet.
“I will do everything possible to be there on court as soon as I can. What I miss the most is, of course, the tournament, the fans and the atmosphere.
“I’ve had great times there in the past, winning the title also last year. I’m very disappointed that I cannot defend it this year.”
Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev, the newly crowned US Open champion, are set to compete in Beijing.
Zverev is attempting to further close the gap to Sinner in the world rankings after winning his second grand slam of the season in New York.
Djokovic is set to return to the China Open after an 11-year absence, following his shock first-round exit form the US Open.
The men's draw at the China Open runs from September 30 to October 6 and is followed by the ATP Masters tournament in Shanghai, which starts from October 7.
